Morgan Frost enters this season with something bigger than a hot start or a scoring slump hanging over him: his next contract.
The Calgary Flames forward is coming off his best offensive year, finishing with 21 assists and 43 points after topping the 20-goal mark for the first time in his career. Calgary acquired him from the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 30, 2025, and he signed a two-year, $8.75 million deal that leaves him set to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.
That puts the pressure - and the leverage - squarely on Frost. He’s currently Calgary’s top center, but on a stronger roster he’d likely be slotted into a third-line role.
That’s part of what makes this situation tricky for the Flames. Frost can boost his value this season, but he also holds the option of taking his case to the open market.
A big part of that case comes down to what kind of player he proves to be in a heavier role. Frost has long been known more as a passer than a finisher, and his playmaking has been a calling card since junior, when he averaged more than an assist per game in his final two seasons with the Sault Ste.
Marie Greyhounds. That vision remains the foundation of his game.
At the same time, there’s been a noticeable shift. Last season, Frost scored more goals than assists, and that kind of dual-threat production tends to get attention when contracts are on the line. If he keeps shooting and continues sharpening his scoring touch, his value could climb quickly.
The other side of his game has been less forgiving. At 6-feet and 192 pounds, Frost has had trouble at times winning battles along the boards and on the forecheck, especially against top-pairing defensemen who can simply knock him off his path. Physicality isn’t where he makes his living, so the offensive growth matters even more.
Calgary’s outlook only adds to the intrigue. The team’s season projections are described as bleak, with no real expectation of a 40-win campaign or a wild-card push.
That gives Frost a wide runway. There isn’t much pressure on him or the club to produce at an elite level, and the Flames appear to be in a position where another high draft pick would fit the broader rebuild.
Financially, there’s room for a meaningful jump. Frost is currently carrying a $4.375 million cap hit, and a new deal in the $6.5 million to $9 million range is considered very much in play. The final number, and the term, could also be shaped by how Calgary views its own center pipeline, including Cole Reschny and Cullen Potter, and whether they’re ready for NHL roles as soon as next season.
There’s even another wrinkle down the road. The Flames could choose to move Frost near the 2027 Trade Deadline, when they would be expected to be sellers and his expiring contract could make him appealing to teams looking for a low-cost depth center.
For now, though, the next step belongs to Frost. His production this season will go a long way toward deciding just how far his next payday goes.
In Other News...
Flames Opening Night Disaster Raises One Brutal Early Question
The Calgary Flames did not get the kind of start anyone around the Saddledome wanted to see, opening the 2026-27 regular season with a 6-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken on home ice. Seattle set the tone early and never really let go, while the Flames spent most of the night chasing the game after a rough first period put them in an immediate hole.
What made the performance harder to digest was how many of the problems were of Calgarys own making. Penalties and defensive mistakes kept feeding the Krakens momentum, and the lone Flames goal came only late in the third period after the outcome was long since tilted. For a team trying to establish a better early-season footing, the question now is how quickly this group can clean up the details before one bad opener starts feeling like a pattern. [Read more 🡒]
Flames May Have A Familiar Blue Line Option Back In Play
A familiar name has surfaced around Calgarys system, and it comes with the kind of low-risk depth look teams lean on when the blue line needs a little more certainty. The Wranglers brought in veteran defenseman Derek Forbort on a professional tryout, giving the organization a chance to see where his game is after an injury-plagued year in Vancouver and, from his side, a path toward proving he still belongs in an NHL conversation.
For Calgary, there is at least some built-in familiarity if this turns into more than a camp stop, since Forbort once wore a Flames sweater in 2019-20 and already knows the market and the expectations that come with it. His arrival also fits the broader shuffle around the league, where teams are continually balancing injuries and reinforcements, and it leaves open the question of whether the veteran can turn this latest opportunity into a real contract chance. [Read more 🡒]
Canucks Just Sent A Top Prospect Into A Situation Flames Fans Know Well
Braeden Cootes is heading into the kind of proving ground Flames fans know well, with the Vancouver Canucks assigning their 2025 first-round pick to Abbotsford to begin his pro season. The move sends the young forward into the AHL right away, just as the affiliate gets ready for its opener and finalizes an opening roster that will give a better look at how the club plans to handle one of its most closely watched prospects.
For Vancouver, the decision is clearly about patience and development, not a fast track to the NHL. Canucks GM Ryan Johnson has made it clear there is no set timeline for a promotion, which puts the emphasis on steady growth in Abbotsford rather than immediate pressure in Vancouver. How Cootes settles in there, and how quickly he can turn a strong start into momentum, will be one of the early stories to watch once the season opens. [Read more 🡒]